Walt Bailey Trail to Cutthroat Lakes & Bald Mountain

Follow this route down the nearly legendary Walt Bailey Trial - a volunteer effort to rebuild a long-lost trail that once led out to a set of pristine alpine lakes and big views of Spada Lake.

The Mallardy Ridge (Walt Bailey) Trail #706 begins from the end of the forest road and enters a mixed forest of alder, cedar and hemlock. The narrow trail wanders through the trees to broad meadows dotted with marshy ponds. At 1.0 mile, the trail enters the Morning Star Natural Resource Conservation Area (NCRA), which protects over 33,000 acres of land around Spada Lake. Back in 2007 the Mt. Pilchuck and Greider Ridge NCRAs were merged into today’s Morning Star NCRA – though references to the now defunct Mt. Pilchuck NCRA continue to linger.

There's a lot more to Walt Bailey Trail, and you can learn all about it in Washington Wildflower Hikes: 50 Destinations. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!